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# Mythic Mojo

Keep the mystery in your life alive

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## Posts

- [Myths of the Father](https://mythicmojo.com/myths-of-the-father/) - The proper way to be a father, questions about who can father, and what this role means are changing. Myths about fathers and fatherhood are key to the cultural conversation.
- [A psychology of craft: the shirt of stinging nettles](https://mythicmojo.com/a-psychology-of-craft-the-shirt-of-stinging-nettles/) - Exploration of the stinging nettles in "The Wild Swan" takes us further into the world of the story and soul-making, and a psychology of craft for today.
- [Forms in Flux: Transformation in Ovid's Metamorphoses](https://mythicmojo.com/forms-in-flux-transformation-in-ovids-metamorphoses/) - "Some sisters said such things could never be, while others were convinced that anything was in the power of true deities---" -The Metamorphoses, Book 4, by Ovid translated by Allen Mandelbaum Ovid wove Greek myths of transformation to create his masterwork, The Metamorphoses. This poem describes a world of shapeshifting, ambiguity, and forms in flux.
- [Ovid's Metamorphoses: Love and Transformation](https://mythicmojo.com/ovids-metamorphoses-love-and-transformation/) - “All things change; nothing perishes.”-- Ovid Ovid was a Roman poet who wrote his master work, The Metamorphoses or "Transformations," in 8 C.E.. He weaves more than 250 Greek myths together in one long poem to tell a story of transformation, and explore the complexities of love as an agent of change. Ovid's voice
- [The Wild Braid: Stanley Kunitz for National Poetry month](https://mythicmojo.com/the-wild-braid-stanley-kunitz-for-national-poetry-month/) - “The universe is a continuous web. Touch it at any point and the whole web quivers.” ― Stanley Kunitz I always dedicate the April episodes of Myth Matters to poetry as a way to celebrate National Poetry month here in the United States. This year, I'm turning to the work of Stanley Kunitz. Kunitz
- [Change perspective and change the story: thought experiment with "Briar Rose"](https://mythicmojo.com/change-perspective-and-change-the-story-thought-experiment-with-briar-rose/) - "But people must be taught lessons. Without them, none of them will ever learn.People are dreams and awkwardness and gawk. They prick their fingersBleed and snore and drool. Politeness is as quiet as a grave,Unmoving, roses without thorns. Or white lilies. People have to learn." -- excerpted from "Observing the Formalities" by Neil
- [Disruption, creative edges, and the fairy tale "Tatterhood"](https://mythicmojo.com/disruption-creative-edges-and-the-fairy-tale-tatterhood/) - The Norwegian fairy tale of "Tatterhood" begins as many stories do, with a kingdom that lacks something essential. Each of us lives in a fairy tale kingdom or two, in an orderly system of protocols and social rules that structure both outer and inner worlds. The stability of the kingdom is important. And yet,
- [The King and the Corpse](https://mythicmojo.com/the-king-and-the-corpse-2/) - "We must unlearn the constellations to see the stars"-- Jack Gilbert from "Tear it Down" This episode revolves around a Hindu story, "The King and the Corpse," about a king who spends a long night with a talking corpse and realizes a profound truth. This is one of my favorite stories, rich in metaphor,
- [Joy, Courage and the Tigress Jataka](https://mythicmojo.com/joy-courage-and-the-tigress-jataka/) - "Participate joyfully in the sorrows of the world. We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy. The warrior's approach is to say 'yes' to life: 'yea' to it all."-- Joseph Campbell How do you stay engaged with the creative potential of this time? How can you participate
- [The Goose Girl and what matters most](https://mythicmojo.com/the-goose-girl-and-what-matters-most/) - The end of a year and our seasonal holidays invite evaluation, reflection on what the future holds, and longing for some type of renewal. A fresh start. A clean slate. Restoration. A new green world. The Grimm fairy tale "The Goose Girl at the Well" is not a holiday story and yet, the symbolic
- [Inner Emptiness: The Japanese story "The Golden Axe"](https://mythicmojo.com/inner-emptiness-the-japanese-story-the-golden-axe/) - “He who runs after two hares will catch neither.” Japanese proverb Feelings of emptiness, lack, greed, dishonesty--- are any of us immune from this experience? The number of stories that revolve around this problem suggest a near universal need to meet this challenge. We commonly associate greed with an insatiable need for more
- [Gifts from the Otherworld: The Adventure of Bran](https://mythicmojo.com/gifts-from-the-otherworld-the-adventure-of-bran/) - The existence and importance of other worlds populated by other beings, non-human beings, is consistent across mythological traditions. Today, the dominant culture has a difficult time accepting these stories and yet we continue to tell them. We continue to need them. In this episode, I share the Celtic story "The Adventure of Bran" and
- [Song of the Bricoleur: Rags Rosenberg](https://mythicmojo.com/song-of-the-bricoleur-rags-rosenberg/) - "We are all taking everything that we've learned from the past, and we're reformulating what we want to do with that and how we want to live. And so, one of the ideas that's embedded in that, for me, is that when you're in this period of history, like we are now, with AI
- [Not Knowing the Way: Rich Peter the Peddler and leaving home](https://mythicmojo.com/not-knowing-the-way-rich-peter-the-peddler-and-leaving-home/) - "Leaving home" is an interesting metaphor for the call to significant change. This episode is a reflection on intention, uncertainty, and how myths can help us listen to the soul and find clarity around the risks and purpose of the journey. Thanks for listening and keep the mystery in your life alive... Transcript of Not
- [Leaving Home: Adventures of a trickster tailor](https://mythicmojo.com/leaving-home-adventures-of-a-trickster-tailor/) - In this episode, we take a look at the fairy tale "The Valiant Tailor" or the "The Brave Tailor," collected by the Brothers Grimm. Honestly, I almost dismissed this story as a bit too silly and I didn't like the tailor much at the outset. But what you don't like about a story can
- [In the dark woods: what myths say about leaving home](https://mythicmojo.com/in-the-dark-woods-what-myths-say-about-leaving-home/) - “You must give up the life you planned in order to have the life that is waiting for you.” --Joseph Campbell In this episode I explore the mythic theme of leaving home as a central part of answering the call to transformation. Lots of us are hearing this call right now. And given all of
- [Transformation and awakening: Dumuzi's Dream](https://mythicmojo.com/transformation-and-awakening-dumuzis-dream/) - This is the last episode in a 4-part series on the Sumerian myth of Inanna: Dumuzi’s Dream and The Return. After Inanna ascends from the underworld, she chooses her lover-king Dumuzi as her replacement in the Great Below. Now he must die. He didn't appear to miss her while she was gone. He isn't
- [Greater Mysteries: Transformation, music, and the myth of Inanna with singer-composer Kelli Scarr](https://mythicmojo.com/greater-mysteries-transformation-music-and-the-myth-of-inanna-with-singer-composer-kelli-scarr/) - Special episode with guest singer-composer Kelli Scarr! Scarr released her new album Greater Mysteries, a musical journey through the spiraling cycle of transformation, last month. The Sumerian myth of Inanna is one of the touchstones in this beautiful work, and I'm grateful to Kelli for taking the time to talk with me about the
- [Inanna's descent to the Underworld, part 3 of 4 in the series](https://mythicmojo.com/inannas-descent-to-the-underworld-part-3-of-4-in-the-series/)
- [Inanna and Dumuzi: The eros of the cosmos (part 2 of 4)](https://mythicmojo.com/inanna-and-dumuzi-the-eros-of-the-cosmos-part-2-of-4/) - “The Church says: the body is a sin.Science says: the body is a machine.Advertising says: The body is a business.The Body says: I am a fiesta.” ― Eduardo Galeano, from Walking Words In this episode I tell the second part of Inanna's story, the courtship and marriage between Inanna and her honey man, the shepherd Dumuzi.
- [Gilgamesh Part 1: The Creation of Enkidu](https://mythicmojo.com/gilgamesh-part-1-the-creation-of-enkidu/) - The Sumerian myth of the hero-king Gilgamesh may be the oldest story in recorded history and yet, his quest for meaning is poignant and powerful today.
- [The Sumerian myth of Inanna: In the first days 1 of 4](https://mythicmojo.com/the-sumerian-myth-of-inanna-in-the-first-days-1-of-4/)
- [Joy and Poetry for National Poetry month](https://mythicmojo.com/joy-and-poetry-for-national-poetry-month/) - "We need joy as we need air." Maya Angelou Joy. Joy is my motivation, my desire and object in sharing some poetry with you in this episode. Joy---gladness, pleasure, delight, and rejoicing. Joy, a very precious freedom. How can you, how can we, build our capacity for joy? The belief that suffering alone lends
- [Finist the Bright Falcon: Baba Yaga, soul quests, and shamanic journeys](https://mythicmojo.com/finist-the-bright-falcon-baba-yaga-soul-quests-and-shamanic-journeys/) - The final episode in a three-part exploration of the mysterious Baba Yaga, a scary crone in Russian and Slavic fairy tales. Who or what is she? The fairy tale "Finist the Bright Falcon" opens up some interesting possibilities. Transcript of "Finist the Bright Falcon": Baba Yaga, soul quests, and shamanic journeys Hello and welcome
- [Initiation and Meeting the Baba Yaga](https://mythicmojo.com/initiation-and-meeting-the-baba-yaga/) - The Baba Yaga is a complex and scary crone in East Slavic and Russian fairy tales. She's a face of the earth goddesses and the fierce wildness of nature. Are some of us meeting the Baba Yaga right now? There's a lot of chaos right now as institutions, laws, and norms of behavior that
- [On the Block Radio interview](https://mythicmojo.com/on-the-block-radio-interview/) - I was honored to be a guest on On the Block Radio with Andrew Gurevich. We had an engaging conversation about why mythology matters today. Thank you Andrew. Click the link to listen: http://www.ontheblockradio.com/episodes/2016/8/21/episode-51-dr-catherine-svehla On the Block radio is a podcast about authentic people doing beautiful things. On The Block Radio was founded on the belief
- [Embracing the Unembraceable: The Alchemy of Transformation](https://mythicmojo.com/mythological-medicine-vocal-weaving-for-women/) - Is 2017 going to be a year of transformation? This question has led to a new project and collaboration that I'm excited to share with you, a day-long workshop for women only, in Joshua Tree on January 29th, co-created with vocal practitioner and ritual guide Tasya Herskovits. Embracing the Un-Embraceable, the Alchemy of Transformation Mythological
- ["What Have You Learned?" in Luna Arcana](https://mythicmojo.com/what-have-you-learned-in-luna-arcana/) - Luna Arcana, the arts and cultural print journal here in the Mojave, is a real asset to anyone who wants an authentic glimpse into life in the desert and our local community. I've posted my essay in the latest issue of Luna Arcana, "What Have You Learned?," below. Click here to read the entire issue
- ["Old Man Coyote" in Luna Arcana](https://mythicmojo.com/old-man-coyote-in-luna-arcana/) - Happy to have my piece "Old Man Coyote" in the latest issue of Luna Arcana, an arts & cultural print journal from the Mojave High Desert. Scroll down to read "Old Man Coyote" or click here to read the entire issue online, for free, on the Luna Arcana website. Then you can take in the
- [Myth in the Mojave podcast: The (Mythopoetic) Power](https://mythicmojo.com/myth-in-the-mojave-podcast-the-mythopoetic-power/) - I highly recommend reading The Power, a novel by Naomi Alderman. Here's the podcast about her work. If you'd prefer to read it, scroll down to the written transcript of this program. The (Mythopoetic) Power "Electrifying! Shocking! Will knock your socks off! Then you'll think twice, about everything." ―Margaret Atwood Can a
- [Escape from "Nothing But": Gifts and Practices of the Symbolic Life with Rohini Walker](https://mythicmojo.com/escape-from-nothing-but-gifts-and-practices-of-the-symbolic-life-with-rohini-walker/) - A conversation with Rohini Walker about practices to escape the "nothing but" of a one-sided consciousness, and some of the gifts of Jung's "symbolic life."
- [The roaring in your ears](https://mythicmojo.com/the-roaring-in-your-ears/) - Your quest for the courage to be true to yourself may begin with a small step outside your familiar world.
- [Do you need insight and inspiration to make a change?](https://mythicmojo.com/do-you-need-insight-and-inspiration-to-make-a-change/) - Story Oracle readings are now available via zoom. Tap into your deep self and story wisdom to open up new possibilities.
- [Wandering Aengus and Singing the Swan's Song](https://mythicmojo.com/wandering-aengus-and-singing-the-swans-song/) - The Celtic story of Aengus and Care offers an opportunity to reflect on the source of creative ideas, how they change, and how they change us.
- [Reciprocity and Right Relationship: Reflections on “The Queen Bee”](https://mythicmojo.com/reciprocity-and-right-relationship-reflections-on-the-queen-bee/) - “The Queen Bee,” a fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, got me thinking about what kind of person I am and who I want to be, about hopelessness and surrender, belonging and miracles.
- [Poseidon and the Best Laid Plans](https://mythicmojo.com/poseidon-and-the-best-laid-plans/) - Reflections on Poseidon, his myths, and the contemporary significance of his longstanding competition with the goddess Athena.
- [Gilgamesh part 2 of 3: Humbaba and the Cedar Forest](https://mythicmojo.com/gilgamesh-part-2-of-3-humbaba-and-the-cedar-forest/) - Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu set off on adventures that are meaningful today, even if this model of “heroism” seems ripe for change.
- [Life is an Adventure: Perceval's Grail Quest](https://mythicmojo.com/life-is-an-adventure-percevals-grail-quest/) - The Arthurian legend of Perceval can tell us something about how the quest for self-fulfillment begins.
- [Perceval: Wandering in the Wasteland](https://mythicmojo.com/perceval-wandering-in-the-wasteland/) - Perceval’s story, and his fateful meeting with the Fisher King, illuminate the significance of the personal quest for self-realization when the powerful are corrupt.
- [The Greek God Pan: Nature & Human Nature](https://mythicmojo.com/the-greek-god-pan-nature-human-nature/) - Many, if not all of the old gods, are embedded in what we now call the “natural world” in one way or another, so what makes Pan the Greek god of “nature?”
- [Gilgamesh part 3: Crossing the Waters of Death](https://mythicmojo.com/gilgamesh-part-3-crossing-the-waters-of-death/) - “Here is the epic of the fear of death.” Ranier Marie Rilke This program is the final episode in my telling of the ancient Sumerian myth of Gilgamesh.
- [Why I/you/we need story consciousness](https://mythicmojo.com/977/) - I woke up this morning with a line from Dickens in my head: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light,
- [Who is the the 13th fairy?](https://mythicmojo.com/an-evening-of-storytelling-conversation/) - Come one, come all! If you are going to be in the Palm Springs area on Friday, April 8th then you are invited. Very excited about this program and thank you to the Ace Hotel & Swim Club for making it possible! The 13th Fairy Storytelling & Conversation Friday, April 8th, 7-9pm The Clubhouse Ace
- [Narcissus and Echo: How do you come to know yourself? See yourself?](https://mythicmojo.com/narcissus-and-echo-how-do-you-come-to-know-yourself-see-yourself/) - In the myth of Narcissus and Echo, popularized by the Roman poet Ovid in The Metamorphoses, a beautiful youth rejects the advances of many admirers and falls in love with his own image. This myth is the source of the term “narcissism,” commonly understood as pathological self-absorption. But is the story a simple morality tale about
- [A piece of my mythic mojo](https://mythicmojo.com/a-piece-of-my-mythic-mojo/) - My work as a mythologist and my home base in the Mojave desert are closely connected. The desert---and the years that I spent literally wandering around--- are one thread in the mythic pattern that informs my life. For almost twenty-five years I have called upon the empty fullness of this ancient place to help me
- [Myth Matters Podcast- Love and Beauty: The Greek Myths of Aphrodite and Eros](https://mythicmojo.com/myth-matters-podcast-love-and-beauty-the-greek-myths-of-aphrodite-and-eros/) - Click here to listen to Love and Beauty: the Greek Myths of Aphrodite and Eros in the Season 1 archives on Buzzsprout “Without warning As a whirlwind Swoops on an oak Love shakes my heart.” ---Sappho In this podcast I share some of the ancient Greek mythology about Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, and Eros,
- [Fierce wildness and the Baba Yaga](https://mythicmojo.com/fierce-wildness-and-the-baba-yaga/) - Welcome to episode one of the new (7th) season of Myth Matters! A new year and a time of change. Is this, as some say, the time of the wise, elder woman, the time of the crone? The Baba Yaga is one face of this archetypal energy. This episode is the first of two
- [Taking Flight: The Conference of the Birds](https://mythicmojo.com/taking-flight-the-conference-of-the-birds/) - If you are feeling lost, beat down, angry, or despairing, let this Sufi story of birds and their quest to find a king, guide you and lift you up.
- [Knowing Thyself: The Greek Myth of Oedipus](https://mythicmojo.com/knowing-thyself-the-greek-myth-of-oedipus/) - An ancient Greek myth that addresses a contemporary concern: how do you come to know yourself, and do you really want to?
- [Fate, Free Will, and Being Human](https://mythicmojo.com/fate-free-will-and-being-human/) - Reflections on the message and meaning of the tragic fate of King Oedipus and how it can illuminate the dance with fate and destiny today.
- [Myth Matters Podcast-Moonstruck with Selene and Hecate](https://mythicmojo.com/myth-matters-podcast-moonstruck-with-selene-and-hecate/) - Summer is almost here, bringing warm nights perfect for stargazing and communion with the moon. This podcast includes stories and information about two Greek moon goddesses, Selene and Hecate, and an invitation to develop your night vision and capacity for magic. Bathe in the silver shimmer, get moonstruck, and maybe a little bit mad.
- [The Trapdoor to Gratitude](https://mythicmojo.com/the-trapdoor-to-gratitude/) - Connections between imagination, possibility, and gratitude for all that life offers are illuminated in this meditation on the fairy tale, “The Three Feathers.”
- [Myth Matters Podcast-Artemis and Your Place in the Family of Things](https://mythicmojo.com/myth-matters-podcast-artemis-and-your-place-in-the-family-of-things/) - An exploration of Artemis, Greek goddess of the moon, the hunt, and wilderness, and the myth of her fateful encounter with Acteaon, that may help you find your place in the family of things.
- [Thieves, Tricksters, and Golden Plums](https://mythicmojo.com/thieves-tricksters-and-golden-plums/) - On the eve of the winter solstice in the Northern hemisphere, “The Old Thief and the Plum Seed” offers a perspective on the trickster energy at work in the world and gold to light up the dark.
- [Flying Together: The Conference of the Birds by Farid ud Din Attar](https://mythicmojo.com/flying-together-conference-of-the-birds/) - “These lofty words are an antidote for anyone sickened by extremism’s poison.”Farid ud Din Attar, translation by Sholeh Wolpé The Conference of the Birds is an epic poem from the 12th century written by Sufi poet Farid ud Din Attar. The poem tells the story of a group of birds and an arduous journey to
- [Catastrophe: What myths show us about the way of the world](https://mythicmojo.com/catastrophe-what-myths-show-us/) - Endings, loss, and uncertainty. Fears of a catastrophic future. Many of us are living with this right now or wondering how to. How to act. How to participate. Perspective and guidance can be gleaned from myths and old stories. They are a poetic record of life in a world where catastrophe happens. A world
- [Effort, Uncertainty, and Cerridwen's potion](https://mythicmojo.com/effort-uncertainty-and-cerridwens-potion/) - "It is above all by the imagination that we achieve perception and compassion and hope." –Ursula K. LeGuin This episode revolves around the Welsh myth of Cerridwen and the Birth of Taliesin. I've worked with this story a number of times. It comes to mind this time of year because Cerridwen is both a
- [Allegiance to the Inner Life: The Nixie in the Millpond part 2 of 2](https://mythicmojo.com/allegiance-to-the-inner-life-the-nixie-in-the-millpond-part-2-of-2/) - “We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”― Joseph Campbell We began an exploration of some important questions in the last episode. Questions about our allegiance to the inner world and the concerns of our outer life in the
- [Allegiance to the Inner Life: The Nixie in the Mill Pond part 1 of 2](https://mythicmojo.com/allegiance-to-the-inner-life-the-nixie-in-the-mill-pond-part-1-of-2/) - To what do we owe greater allegiance, our outer life in the material world of human conventions, or our inner life and the requirements of soul? I explore this question through the lens of a fairy tale called "The Nixie in the Mill Pond," collected by the Brothers Grimm. This is a big
- [The Bricoleur](https://mythicmojo.com/the-bricoleur/) - How we imagine our lives is how we live our lives, and mythologies provide the images and ideas in this process. But images of the human in the dominant myths-- as sinner, dominator, or world destroyer-- aren't guiding us toward a bright future. What are the alternatives? How about an ingenious, improvising jack-of-all-trades, the
- [Guest appearance on Fabric of Folklore podcast](https://mythicmojo.com/guest-appearance-on-fabric-of-folklore-podcast/) - My guest appearance on the Fabric of Folklore podcast with Vanessa Rogers was released last week. I centered the Grimm's fairy tale "The Frog Prince" which is one of my favorites:). Ep 58 Where Psychology and Mythology Meets Ancient Wisdom with Dr. Catherine Svehla How can we apply mythology to better our well-being? In episode
- [Shifting Images of Human Being with Dr. Craig Chalquist](https://mythicmojo.com/shifting-images-of-human-being-with-dr-craig-chalquist/) - How we imagine ourselves is how we'll be. And where do we receive these images of the human? They're in our myths. In this episode, I take a look at three images in the myths of the dominant culture that determine how many of us see ourselves and how we live: the sinner, the
- [Making creative choices in art and life: 3 fairy tale variations](https://mythicmojo.com/making-creative-choices-in-art-and-life-3-fairy-tale-variations/) - Sifting through options to make a decision is something that each of us has to do at some point. When our choice is part of a creative process in work or life, in the arts or our psychic terrain, it can be very difficult. Something new will come into the world. Some type of
- [Creativity: An Inner Alchemy of feathers and toads](https://mythicmojo.com/creativity-an-inner-alchemy-of-feathers-and-toads/) - “We would do well… to think of the creative process as a living thing implanted in the human psyche.” --- C.G. Jung (1922) Collected Works 15 We often say that every person is inherently creative and yet doubts and fears of inadequacy are common. Many of us hesitate to make any claims to creativity
- [About the Myth Matters Podcast](https://mythicmojo.com/about-the-myth-matters-podcast/) - A thoughtful exploration of the power of myth in contemporary life and the intersection of myth, creativity, and consciousness. The old stories have survived centuries of retelling because they contain valuable information about the world and human experience. They contain answers that people have found to the mysterious questions of life. They "speak to something
- [Myth and Images of Creativity (Beginning with the new Apple ad)](https://mythicmojo.com/myth-and-images-of-creativity-beginning-with-the-new-apple-ad/) - Apple's ad for the new iPad has evoked some very strong reactions, reactions that illuminate old links between image, metaphor, myth, and our collective notions about creativity and the creative process. The current cultural conversation is a good starting point for reflection on some commonly held images of creativity and the way these images
- [National Poetry Month: Humor and the unexpected turn](https://mythicmojo.com/national-poetry-month-humor-and-the-unexpected-turn/) - "Well, that's the trick: the sudden unexpectedness inside the over-known."--- Heather McHugh What type of mood does the word "poetry" evoke for you? Do you associate poetry with the profound and weighty? The concerns of the soul and the seriously sacred? I rarely look to poetry for a laugh and I wonder why,
- [Fate, free will, and 3 Swords](https://mythicmojo.com/fate-free-will-and-3-swords/) - Fate and free will, and the longing for purpose and prospect of destiny that hangs somewhere in-between. How do these forces shape our lives?
- [The Bhagavad-Gita and yoga of awareness with Gabriella Nagy](https://mythicmojo.com/the-bhagavad-gita-and-yoga-of-awareness-with-gabriella-nagy/) - “A yogi sees Me in all things and all things within Me.” Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad-Gita is an important Hindu teaching story embedded in the Mahabharata, an astonishing epic poem. Astonishing for its length- 100,000 verses-- and for its beauty. Astonishing for the complexity of the social and spiritual world constructed in
- [Fee-fi-fo-fum: Outwitting the ogres in your life](https://mythicmojo.com/fee-fi-fo-fum-outwitting-the-ogres-in-your-life/) - Last Monday, February 26th was Tell a Fairy Tale Day. I began preparation for this episode with the intention of telling you a fairy tale, perhaps one that was connected to the holiday. This process opened up reflection on the necessity of a well-developed imagination to meet life challenges in a creative and satisfying way,
- [The Problem of the Return and the End of the Hero's Adventure](https://mythicmojo.com/the-problem-of-the-return-and-the-end-of-the-heros-adventure/) - Dominant myths and stories, and dominant ideas about myths and stories, that limit the usefulness of this inheritance and the possibilities we entertain.
- [Answering the Call of 2024](https://mythicmojo.com/answering-the-call-of-2024/) - Iron John Handless Maiden Cave of Cesh Corran Abu Kasem"Conscious Evolution: The story of Abu Kasem’s Slippers" Briar Rose
- [Conscious Evolution: The story of Abu Kasem's Slippers](https://mythicmojo.com/conscious-evolution-the-story-of-abu-kasems-slippers/) - “Always you will find that within you the shadow and the light go together… It is up to you to know how to utilize the one to realize the other.” -Sri Aurobindo
- [Endings and Beginnings: Odin's Quest for Wisdom](https://mythicmojo.com/endings-and-beginnings-odins-quest-for-wisdom/) - The solstice will soon be upon us, followed by the arrival of a new year. A time of endings and beginnings. Reckoning. Which leads me to Norse mythology and the god Odin.
- [Living your heart's desire: The Tale of the Doomed Prince](https://mythicmojo.com/living-your-hearts-desire-the-tale-of-the-doomed-prince/) - "I am destined to die either by a crocodile, a serpent, or a dog; it is the will of the gods. Then let me go forth and follow my heart's desire while I live.". 2023 is drawing to a close. "The Tale of the Doomed Prince," a fairy tale found in ancient Egyptian papyri from
- [Beowulf and why we need Monsters](https://mythicmojo.com/beowulf-and-why-we-need-monsters/) - The existence of monsters, alongside gods and goddesses, is a distinguishing feature of myths, fairy tales, and legends. Defeating a monster is often the test of the hero, the act that makes that individual a hero. And yet, life is full of challenges and dangers. Do we need monsters? Or, are monsters relics of an archaic world view?
- [Mythic Sensibility: The Enchanted Cave of Cesh Corran](https://mythicmojo.com/mythic-sensibility-the-enchanted-cave-of-cesh-corran/) - The season around Halloween and Samhain is a liminal time when shadows grow and lengthen in the world and psyche. The old Celtic stories of poet warriors and fairies feel especially potent to me right now, so I'm dipping back into the collection Irish Fairy Tales by James Stephens for this story offering. "The
- ["Those Who Live Beneath Us": Sedna the Inuit Woman of the Sea](https://mythicmojo.com/those-who-live-beneath-us-sedna-the-inuit-woman-of-the-sea/) - Sedna is the goddess mother of the sea, marine animals, and the underworld in the myths of the Inuit people, an indigenous Arctic culture. This episode is an exploration of variations on her origin story, and some of the questions and possibilities Sedna raises in this time of climate change and fundamentalism. Transcript
- [The Story of Tuan Mac Cairill and the Salmon of Knowledge](https://mythicmojo.com/the-story-of-tuan-mac-cairill-and-the-salmon-of-knowledge/) - An exploration of transformation, spirituality, and the timeless search for wisdom through the lens of Irish mythology and the story of Tuan Mac Cairill.
- [Mythical Bonds: Dogs, Kinship, and the Irish tale of Fionn and the Birth of Bran](https://mythicmojo.com/mythical-bonds-dogs-kinship-and-the-irish-tale-of-fionn-and-the-birth-of-bran/) - “Dogs are our link to paradise." Milan Kundera From current news to creation myths, to Irish legends of Fionn MacCool, stories remind us of the enduring bond between humans and dogs and what they teach us about loyalty and empathy.
- [Churning the Cosmic sea: Joseph Campbell, meaning, and the rapture of being alive](https://mythicmojo.com/churning-the-cosmic-sea-joseph-campbell-meaning-and-the-rapture-of-being-alive/) - "I don’t think the meaning of life is what we’re seeking. I think it’s an experience of being alive..." -- Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth
- [Myth, science, and the creation story: Mr. g by Alan Lightman](https://mythicmojo.com/myth-science-and-the-creation-story-mr-g-by-alan-lightman/) - "Rationality and logic can be spiritual." -- Alan Lightman, Mr. g The antagonism between Western science and myth/religion has shaped human history and continues to obstruct the quest for a holistic understanding of existence. In Myths to Live By, Joseph Campbell outlines the conflict and offers solutions to the modern dilemma. Science will provide
- [Inanna's Descent to the Underworld, episode 3 in a 4-part series](https://mythicmojo.com/inannas-descent-to-the-underworld-episode-3-in-a-4-part-series/) - This iconic myth of Inanna's journey to the underworld journey is a fitting end to 2020 and invitation to 2021.
- [Inanna and Dumuzi: Her honey man (part 2 of 4)](https://mythicmojo.com/inanna-and-dumuzi-her-honey-man-part-2-of-4/) - In part 2 in a 4-part series on the Sumerian goddess, Inanna meets her husband Dumuzi
- [Quest for new metaphors: Sumerian myth of Inanna part 1](https://mythicmojo.com/quest-for-new-metaphors-sumerian-myth-of-inanna-part-1/) - Does the ancient Sumerian myth of Inanna offer anything of value to the collective quest for new myths and metaphors that can carry us into the future?
- [Imagination and Hanging by a Thread](https://mythicmojo.com/imagination-and-hanging-by-a-thread/) - Feed your imagination in times of change-A story about the Hopi creatrix Spider Woman and a poem by Diane di Prima
- [The King and the Corpse](https://mythicmojo.com/the-king-and-the-corpse/) - In this Hindu story, a king spends a long night with a talking corpse and realizes a profound truth, one that is needed today
- [Once Upon a Time and the Crisis of "Nothing But"](https://mythicmojo.com/once-upon-a-time-and-the-crisis-of-nothing-but/) - The single-minded pursuit of "reason" has driven the deep need for wonder, meaning, and mystery into the unconscious, creating a world in which the lines between fact and fiction, are collapsing.
- [Mythic Animals: wonder and shadow in the Other](https://mythicmojo.com/mythic-animals-wonder-and-shadow-in-the-other/) - Exploration of connections between mythology, science, animals, and the fantastic, with storytelling about the unicorn, one of my favorite "mythic animals."
- [Two Jatakas: a thought experiment in heroes and bodhisattvas](https://mythicmojo.com/two-jatakas-a-thought-experiment-in-heroes-and-bodhisattvas/) - The popular image of the hero is ripe for reflection. In this episode, I share two Buddhist teaching stories (jatakas) that offer an interesting perspective.
- [Women, Power, and the Right to Speak Out](https://mythicmojo.com/women-power-and-the-right-to-speak-out/) - Click here to listen to Women, Power, and the Right to Speak Out in the season 2 archives on buzzsprout "We moms are often underestimated. But we're stronger than we're given credit for. So what do you say, will you stand with me?" Bev Barnum, catalyst for the Wall of Moms protest in Portland,
- [Heroes, Buddha, and How to Read a Myth](https://mythicmojo.com/heroes-buddha-and-how-to-read-a-myth/) - c
- [Allies, Uncertainty, and Soul](https://mythicmojo.com/allies-being-one-and-finding-them-through-soul/) - A mythic perspective and soul life can help you learn to be an ally in these times, and reveal new sources of support and inspiration
- [Soul and Your New Story: Stepping Into the Fairy Glen](https://mythicmojo.com/soul-and-your-new-story-stepping-into-the-fairy-glen/) - Click here to listen to Soul and Your New Story: Stepping Into the Fairy Glen in the season 2 archives on buzzsprout What do you do when the old ways don't work anymore? When the roles that you've played, and the activities that have engaged your time, must change? What do you do when
- [A moment of respite: Clever Manka](https://mythicmojo.com/a-moment-of-respite-clever-manka/) - A moment of respite, and a bit of humor and sweetness in the form of a Czech folk tale called "Clever Manka."
- [Creativity, Faith, and the Turning Tide](https://mythicmojo.com/creativity-faith-and-the-turning-tide/) - A small dose of peace and encouragement in the form of two poems and little story from "The Writing Life" by Annie Dillard.
- [Meanwhile, the world goes on](https://mythicmojo.com/meanwhile-the-world-goes-on/) - A program of poetry to connect you with all the life and beauty that remains despite the great changes underway, and a celebration of National Poetry month in the United States.
- [Drinking the Waters of Life and the five sons of King Eochaid](https://mythicmojo.com/drinking-the-waters-of-life-and-the-five-sons-of-king-eochaid/) - This old Celtic story of competition and tests of character can guide reflections on the source of truth strength and the deep meanings of this time.
- [Joyful Participation in the Sorrows of the World](https://mythicmojo.com/joyful-participation-in-the-sorrows-of-the-world/) - The old stories carry a message of belonging that supports a new state of openness, and the strength to participate joyfully in the sorrows of the world.
- [Loki, Norse god of Chaos and the Quantum Cosmos](https://mythicmojo.com/loki-norse-god-of-chaos-and-the-quantum-cosmos/) - Myths of the Norse god Loki combine with understanding of the quantum cosmos to offer insight into the necessity of chaos, and a perspective on the restructuring of our lives.
- [Finding Perspective As Things Fall Apart](https://mythicmojo.com/finding-perspective-as-things-fall-apart/) - How can a thoughtful person think, in a useful and creative way, about the seeming insanity of many politicians and the turmoil in public life and community affairs?
- [The Valiant Horse and the Soul Life](https://mythicmojo.com/the-valiant-horse-and-the-soul-life/) - The Russian fairy tale, “The Fire-Bird and the Princess Vasilisa,” contains a beautiful message about the life of the soul.
- [Gates of Babylon: The Enduring Legacy of Ancient Creation Myths](https://mythicmojo.com/gates-of-babylon-the-enduring-legacy-of-ancient-creation-myths/) - The Babylonian Enuma Elish, also known as The Seven Tablets of Creation, is one of the oldest surviving creation myths. The story narrates the epic battle between the god Marduk and the primordial goddess Tiamat
- [Now available: Myths to Live By: A Skeleton Key Study Guide](https://mythicmojo.com/myths-to-live-by-skeleton-key-study-guide/) - The second study guide in the series, Myths to Live By: A Skeleton Key Study Guide is available now in ebook and paperback formats, and in an ebook bundle with Campbell's Myths To Live By.
- [Creation Myths: In the beginning](https://mythicmojo.com/creation-myths-in-the-beginning/) - How did all of this-- what we call reality, the universe, the earth, life, begin? Here's a brief survey of some creation myths from around the world
- ["The Wild Swans": Powerful Words and Living with Wings](https://mythicmojo.com/the-wild-swans-powerful-words-and-living-with-wings/) - On the surface, "The Wild Swans" is a fairy tale about cursed brothers who are saved by their sister.
- [The World's Wife, Contemporary Myth Poems by Carol Ann Duffy](https://mythicmojo.com/the-worlds-wife-contemporary-myth-poems-by-carol-ann-duffy/) - In The World's Wife, Carol Ann Duffy offers myths for today in the form of a poem. They display a deep appreciation for the old tales and a dark humor.
- [Myth, poetry, and the power of the word](https://mythicmojo.com/myth-poetry-and-the-power-of-the-word/) - Myth and poetry have a long, shared history. In fact, our oldest known myths are poems. Have you ever wondered why this might be?
- [Athena, goddess of Reason ?!](https://mythicmojo.com/athena-goddess-of-reason/) - The Greek goddess Athena was a warrior, the patron of cities and mentor of heroes, clear-eyed, practical, and strategic. What was her great power? She was the goddess of Reason. Yes, the ancient Greek patriarchy, a model of misogyny, imagined "reason" as female. This being myth, there's plenty to unpack and contradicts abound.
- [Myth, History, and the Woman Warrior](https://mythicmojo.com/myth-history-and-the-woman-warrior/) - Myth has an interesting and complex relationship to history. Myth is part of the historical record of our species, and part of the history of a given people. And myth shapes history. Myth gives rise to the beliefs and point of view that create our world, determine the present, and influence the future. This
- [Free to Love: H.C. Andersen's Little Mermaid](https://mythicmojo.com/free-to-love-h-c-andersens-little-mermaid/) - The freedom to love and individuality. Love for the self and love for a beloved. "The Little Mermaid" by H.C. Andersen launch personal reflections into the nature of love.
- [2023 The Year of the Rabbit](https://mythicmojo.com/2023-the-year-of-the-rabbit/) - A new year is a time of beginnings and possibility. What is the quality of the Chineseyear of the Rabbit, and how can this inspire us in 2023?
- [Christian saints, Norse gods, and magic mushrooms: myths of Santa Claus](https://mythicmojo.com/christian-saints-norse-gods-and-magic-mushrooms-myths-of-santa-claus/) - Yes, Christmas is grossly commercial, a taint that touches other year-closing holidays as well. And yet this time, and these traditions, have deep mythological roots that connect us to important gifts of the spirit.
- [A Winter Story: Raven Steals the Light](https://mythicmojo.com/a-winter-story-raven-steals-the-light/) - Raven is often associated with winter and the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. Raven teaches us how to go into the dark to bring forth the light.
- [Questions, Connection, and Perceval's Quest for the Grail](https://mythicmojo.com/questions-connection-and-percevals-quest-for-the-grail/) - Who is the loathly lady in Perceval's quest for the grail?
- [Prince Lindworm and the Unembraceable](https://mythicmojo.com/prince-lindworm-and-the-unembraceable/) - In this Norwegian fairy tale, the queen makes a mistake. That's not the whole story.
- [Meeting the Baba Yaga: Witches, magic, and mystery](https://mythicmojo.com/meeting-the-baba-yaga-witches-magic-and-mystery/) - Magic involves changes in the way we see and the manner in which things appear. Magic, like myth, is now a matter of "belief" when it could be practice. The Russian fairy tale "Vasilisa the Wise" is an invitation to think about magic.
- [Psyche and Eros: Our Initiation through Aphrodite](https://mythicmojo.com/psyche-and-eros-our-initiation-through-aphrodite/) - The myth of Eros and Psyche can be read as a myth of initiation orchestrated by the goddess Aphrodite, a personification or archetype of love, sexuality, and beauty as enlivening powers
- [Love and Soul: The classical myth of Psyche and Eros](https://mythicmojo.com/love-and-soul-the-classical-myth-of-psyche-and-eros/) - Eros and Psyche is a marvelous old myth about love, soul, and what's required to unite the two. “I have always thought of a myth as something that never was but is always happening.”-- Jean Houston
- [What Love Inspires: The Greek Myth of Orpheus and Eurydice](https://mythicmojo.com/what-love-inspires-the-greek-myth-of-orpheus-and-eurydice/) - What can we do when we are motivated by love? The Ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice and an exploration of the power of love to inspire and sustain us.
- [Briar Rose: Rethinking the hero and the 13th fairy](https://mythicmojo.com/briar-rose-rethinking-the-hero-and-the-13th-fairy/) - The hero can often provide inspiration or comfort. These stories can help us find our courage or feel a bit more powerful.The image of the hero is also a burden.
- [Ecological Consciousness and "The Queen Bee" fairy tale](https://mythicmojo.com/ecological-consciousness-and-the-queen-bee-fairy-tale/) - "Noting these tokens and examples some have said that a share of divine intelligence is in bees, and a draught of (a)ether: since there is a god in everything..." -- Virgil
- [Wonder and "Valemon the White Bear King"](https://mythicmojo.com/wonder-and-valemon-the-white-bear-king/) - We are an impossibility in an impossible universe.” ― Ray Bradbury The impossibilities of our existence are more than a matter of statistics and probabilities. Our stories remind us of the tensions that we are called to live, our impossible longings, and the contradictions that are part of being human.
- [Mysteries of Self, Other, and the Greek myth of Narcissus](https://mythicmojo.com/mysteries-of-self-other-and-the-greek-myth-of-narcissus/) - Does the contemporary concept of psychological narcissism capture all of the possibilities in the ancient Greek myth of Narcissus?
- [Our Quest for Self: "The Six Companions" fairytale](https://mythicmojo.com/our-quest-for-self-the-six-companions-fairytale/) - Our notion of "self" is one of the deep and enduring mysteries of human existence.To speak mythologically of the "self" is to speak of our yearning for the direct experience of our own inner unfolding.
- [Celebrating the World: "The Nightingale" by Hans Christian Andersen](https://mythicmojo.com/celebrating-the-world-the-nightingale-by-hans-christian-andersen/) - Andersen's fairytale "The Nightingale" explores the line between art and artifice, and the power of birdsong to sooth the heart and feed our imagination.
- ["The Shadow" Knows Everything](https://mythicmojo.com/the-shadow-knows-everything/) - “How can I be substantial if I do not cast a shadow? I must have a dark side also If I am to be whole.” ― C.G. Jung. A fairy tale by H.C. Andersen on the Myth Matters podcast
- [Trickster lessons and "Don't Look Up"](https://mythicmojo.com/trickster-lessons-and-dont-look-up/) - My jumping off point today is a story that's generating a lot of heated debate right now, the movie "Don't Look Up." I'm going to make some references to this movie, but this podcast is not about it, per se. So, if you haven't seen the movie, no worries. And if you have, and
- [Sometimes you've got to laugh](https://mythicmojo.com/sometimes-youve-got-to-laugh/) - “The secret source of humor is not joy but sorrow, and there is no humor in heaven.” ~ Mark Twain A funny tale about a bee and bum-cluck because when life is hard, you need a laugh
- [Not Just About the Ukraine](https://mythicmojo.com/a-not-just-about-the-ukraine/) - Nations. Sovereignty. War. Democracy. Citizenship. I. We.Unconscious monotheism. Polytheistic consciousness.Diversity. Complexity.Fluid myths. Culture building. Trickster.Multiple meanings. Art. Some thoughts and two poems. Transcript of Not Just About the Ukraine Hello, and welcome to Myth Matters, storytelling and conversation about mythology and why myth matters to your life today. I'm your host and personal mythologist
- [A Terrible Love of War, a Culture of Peace](https://mythicmojo.com/a-terrible-love-of-war-a-culture-of-peace/) - In 2004, James Hillman published a difficult and though-provoking investigation of war titled A Terrible Love of War. He writes: "I believe that we can never speak sensibly of peace or disarmament unless we enter into this love of war. Unless we enter into the martial state of soul, we cannot comprehend its pull
- [With the night falling we are saying thank you: 10 poems for National Poetry month](https://mythicmojo.com/with-the-night-falling-we-are-saying-thank-you-10-poems-for-national-poetry-month/) - To celebrate National Poetry month, 10 poems that offer respite and inspiration to build a culture so satisfying and compelling that we resist the call to war.
- [A Strange Feather: 10 Poems for perspective and peace of mind](https://mythicmojo.com/a-strange-feather-10-poems-for-perspective-and-peace-of-mind/) - This is our second and final podcast in celebration of National Poetry month. I devote the April episodes to National Poetry month, to honor and recognize the shared origins of poetry, myth, and song. I also want to share some of the power of poetry. A poem, like a song or a story, can
- [Fables, frogs, and philosophy](https://mythicmojo.com/fables-frogs-and-philosophy/) - What do fables, simple stories that frequently involve animal characters, have to offer us?
- [Listening to our animal kin](https://mythicmojo.com/listening-to-our-animal-kin/) - The meanings we ascribe to animals in our mythologies illuminates our uneasy relationship to our other-than-human companions, and offer us a way to think creatively about our place in the world and human nature.
- [On Animism + Anthropomorphism, a conversation on the Letters from Luna podcast](https://mythicmojo.com/on-animism-anthropomorphism-a-conversation-on-the-letters-from-luna-podcast/) - What is animism? Anthropomorphism? How are they different, and why might these ideas matter to you? My friend and colleague Rohini Walker recently invited me to talk with her about these questions. Our conversation was recorded as the first episode of the Letters from Luna experimental podcast project. Click here to watch On
- [Stories That Disturb Us](https://mythicmojo.com/stories-that-disturb-us/) - A Celtic fairytale and reflection on stories that disturb us, and why it's important to venture into the danger zone of such a story.
- [Eternity in an Hour: Urashima Taro  ](https://mythicmojo.com/eternity-in-an-hour/) - A Japanese fairy tale about Urashima Taro offers reflections on the paradox of time, and the connection between eternity and aliveness in the present moment.
- [April fools](https://mythicmojo.com/april-fools/) - In this episode of Myth Matters, some fun facts about April Fools Day and a handful of humorous tales.
- [Beyond Conventional Wisdom: Poetry and the Imaginal Realm](https://mythicmojo.com/beyond-conventional-wisdom-poetry-and-the-imaginal-realm/) - A kaleidoscope of poems, voices, topic and perspectives take us on a short journey beyond conventional wisdom into the imaginal realm for National Poetry month.
- [Leaps of faith: The story of "Jumping Mouse"](https://mythicmojo.com/leaps-of-faith/) - In the story of "Jumping Mouse," the quest for courage begins with a small step outside the familiar world. Are you brave enough to be true to yourself?
- [Radical Change and The Water of Life](https://mythicmojo.com/radical-change-and-the-water-of-life/) - When radical change is required, you need to make a journey down unfamiliar paths into the symbolic world of story, and find the water of life.
- [Ask the dwarf](https://mythicmojo.com/ask-the-dwarf/) - The help that we need often comes from unexpected sources, if we have the wisdom to recognize them--like the dwarf in these stories.
- [Make Room for Magic: Celtic tales about fairies](https://mythicmojo.com/make-room-for-magic/) - Some Celtic stories about encounters with fairies, to celebrate the solstice and midsummer, consider the need for healthy skepticism, and make room for magic.
- [Meaning is magic: the trickster Hermes and radical change](https://mythicmojo.com/meaning-is-magic-the-trickster-hermes-and-radical-change/) - In this episode we take a look at Hermes, the Greek trickster god, to see how an expert uses the magic of shifting meanings to recreate the world.
- [Power, justice, and the Greek myths of Zeus, Far-seeing Ruler of the gods](https://mythicmojo.com/power-justice-and-the-myths-of-zeus-far-seeing-ruler-of-the-gods/) - The Greek myths surrounding Zeus, the ruler of gods and men, offer a useful perspective on contemporary questions of power, legitimate authority, and justice.
- [Styles of Imagination and Mythic Methods: Zeus and titanism today](https://mythicmojo.com/styles-of-imagination-and-mythic-methods-zeus-and-titanism-today/) - What do the Greek myths of Zeus say about today's battle with the titanic and how we can preserve our psychic health and the health of our communities and culture?
- [The Bacchae: How do you imagine the dark?](https://mythicmojo.com/the-bacchae-how-do-you-imagine-the-dark/) - "The Bacchae," by the Greek playwright Euripides is an important myth of the god Dionysus with a message for us today.
- [The myth of Arachne and the mysteries of transformation](https://mythicmojo.com/arachne-and-the-mysteries-of-transformation/) - Personal transformation. Do we really want it? What can inspire that deep change, and how far are we willing to go in courting those powers?
- [Cerridwen's cauldron of inspiration](https://mythicmojo.com/cerridwens-cauldron-of-inspiration/) - The Celtic story of Cerridwen and her cauldron can help you examine your creative dreams in the liminal space of Halloween and Samhain.
- [Iron John and finding the wild man](https://mythicmojo.com/iron-john-and-finding-the-wild-man/) - Part 1 of "Iron John," a fairy tale popularized by Robert Bly, and a meditation on outer riches, inner rewards, self-worth, and the quest to own your gold.
- [The New Year and Happily ever after](https://mythicmojo.com/the-new-year-and-happily-ever-after/) - On the cusp of 2022, a few thoughts on the ancient ritual of this sacred pause, the role of myth, and our need for "happily ever after."
- [The Greek god Dionysus and the titanic](https://mythicmojo.com/dionysus-and-the-titanic/) - What does the mythic relationship between Dionysus and the Titans suggest about our titanism and titanic culture, and ways to mitigate the destructive influence of titanic fantasies? “Oh how lucky you are, how really lucky you are, if you know the gods from within…” ---Euripides, The Bacchae Transcript of Dionysus and the titanic
- [Into the Labyrinth and the myth of Ariadne's Thread](https://mythicmojo.com/into-the-labyrinth-and-ariadnes-thread/) - This episode is devoted to the Greek god Dionysus, whom Walter Otto aptly named “the epiphany god,” and his wife Ariadne. Dionysus was called “the Loosener” or lysios in Greek, the loosener of limbs and of minds. The Greek word lysios comes from "lysis," which means “setting free" or "unraveling.” I want to pick up this thread to reflect
- [Winter Solstice and the energy of regeneration](https://mythicmojo.com/winter-solstice-and-the-energy-of-regeneration/) - Transcript of Winter Solstice and the energy of regeneration Hello, and welcome to Myth Matters, storytelling and conversation about mythology and why myth matters to your life today. I'm your host and personal mythologist Dr. Catherine Svehla. Wherever you may be in this wide, beautiful, crazy world of ours, you are part of this
- [Iron John part 2 Owning your gold](https://mythicmojo.com/iron-john-part-2-owning-your-gold/) - Transcript of Iron John (part 2) Owning your gold Hello, and welcome to Myth Matters, storytelling and conversation about mythology and why myth matters to your life today. I'm your host and personal mythologist Dr. Catherine Svehla. Wherever you may be in this wide, beautiful, crazy world of ours, you are part of this
- [Precious Bones- Aztec mythology in the 5th world](https://mythicmojo.com/precious-bones-aztec-mythology-in-the-5th-world/) - A myth from the Aztec creation cycle, the mythology of bones, and what it might mean to be in service to life today. "I have come here only to sing."-- Motenhuatzin, poet from Tlaxcala who witnessed the fall of the Aztecs Transcript of Precious Bones: Aztec mythology in the 5th world Hello, and
- ["If life is a stage..."](https://mythicmojo.com/if-life-is-a-stage/) - "In traversing the eternal pull between what humans call reason and what that reason deems primal, Carson’s trademark simplicity allows this work to feel simultaneously ancient and contemporary." —Publishers Weekly I received some interesting comments and questions in response to the last episode on Dionysus. I'll take them up next week in a
- [Luna Arcana, The Alchemy of Earth and Sky](https://mythicmojo.com/luna-arcana-the-alchemy-of-earth-and-sky/) - I'm pleased to share news of the publication of Luna Arcana's new art book, The Alchemy of Earth and Sky, Vol.1. Luna Arcana is a project of my friend and colleague Rohini Walker. This anthology was published by the southern California non-profit arts publisher, The Artlands, a creative hub for inland Southern California Luna Arcana is
- [Th myth of unlimited human potential and The Curious Mind podcast](https://mythicmojo.com/th-myth-of-unlimited-human-potential-and-the-curious-mind-podcast/) - On The Curious Mind podcast- a conversation about the 'Myth of Unlimited Human Potential', the problematic impact it has on us, and what is a psychologically more wholesome way to integrate myths into our lives. The myth of unlimited human potential, widely known as The Law of Attraction, was the subject of my dissertation some
- [Poetry and Soul, a conversation with Brian Michael Tracy](https://mythicmojo.com/poetry-and-soul-a-conversation-with-brian-michael-tracy/) - "Art is the informed translation of soul." -Brian Michael Tracy April is National Poetry month in the United States. I'm joined by fellow myth-lover and poet, Brian Michael Tracy, for an exploration of the connections between poetry and soul. Psyche is the mysterious wellspring of myth, dream, and poetry, and our source of
- [A world without stories and the trickster Anansi](https://mythicmojo.com/a-world-without-stories-and-the-trickster-anansi/) - This entertaining Ashanti story about the trickster spider Anansi reveals the threads between story, imagination, and possibility.
- [Shipwrecks, Donkeys, and Holy Fools](https://mythicmojo.com/shipwrecks-donkeys-and-holy-fools/) - Sufi teaching stories that address change, loss, and renewal, and the power of story to shift our perspective and life the spirit.
- [Dumuzi's Dream and the regions of kindness (Myth of Inanna #4)](https://mythicmojo.com/dumuzis-dream-and-the-regions-of-kindness-myth-of-inanna-4/) - The final episode in the series on the Sumerian myth of Inanna, for this time of endings and beginnings.
- [You could make this place beautiful: a few post-election poems](https://mythicmojo.com/you-could-make-this-place-beautiful-a-few-post-election-poems/) - Here we are, days after the US election. Days, after weeks, after months, of cycling through a wide range of feelings and ideas. Fears and expectations meet in the same moment. Hoping for a speedy resolution. Knowing that the election is only a moment in a much longer process. Hoping that some healing can begin.
- [Muted](https://mythicmojo.com/muted/) - I don't have a new episode of Myth Matters for you this week. As a white content creator and as a white woman, I'm answering the call to mute my voice this week and to listen to BIPOC voices (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color). #amplifymelanatedvoices I'll have a new podcast for you next week
- [Psyche's Quest & the New Story](https://mythicmojo.com/psyches-quest-the-new-story/) - Changing your life or living a bigger life begins with changing your story. Join Psyche's Quest, a workshop for women who are ready to re-imagine the heroine's journey for our time.
- [Myth in the Mojave Podcast:Truth in a Dark TIme](https://mythicmojo.com/truth-in-a-dark-time/) - Every now and then, a theme in a Myth in the Mojave podcast echoes in my consciousness so long and so often, that I have a transcript made. This podcast is one of those, because I have so many conversations with people who want to be in closer contact with their intuition. I'm convinced that
- [Interview on Desert Lady Diaries](https://mythicmojo.com/interview-on-desert-lady-diaries/) - Desert Lady Diaries is a podcast created and hosted by Dawn Davis, based here in Joshua Tree. This is what Dawn says about her project: "I didn't know anyone, but have found a community of artists and activists ripe with interesting, inspiring and amazing women. I want to share their stories and experiences with
- [Teaching the Power of Myth at Copper Mt Community College](https://mythicmojo.com/teaching-the-power-of-myth-at-copper-mt-community-college/) - I'm very excited to create this 4-part exploration of the function of mythology in our lives today. Each class will be a synthesis of story and other material combined with group discussion and personal exploration. Please join me if you are in the high desert! Click here to register (the form is in the class
- [Once Upon A Time is Now](https://mythicmojo.com/once-upon-a-time-is-now-2/) - Mythological Medicine for Our Times SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21 2pm Orange County Public Libraries Laguna Niguel, 30341 Crown Valley Pkwy Public event courtesy of the Joseph Campbell® Mythological RoundTable® of Laguna Beach In traditional cultures, people come together to listen to the old stories and consider their wisdom and meaning for the present moment. This practice is one of our oldest medicines

## Pages

- [Home](https://mythicmojo.com/) - Mythic Mojo Keep the mystery in your life alive | Catherine Svehla
- [Download 9 Favorite Digital Sources for Myth & Fairy Tales](https://mythicmojo.com/download-9-favorite-digital-sources-for-myth-fairy-tales/) - The inspiration, surprise, and entertainment found in mythology and the old stories are inexhaustible. This is one reason that I love to work with our mythic inheritance. These are my favorite free on-line sources for myths, fairy, and folk tales, and quality art and information about them. Feel free to contact me if you're looking
- [About Catherine](https://mythicmojo.com/about-mojo/) - At the beginning of my personal quest, I came across a comment by C.G. Jung that has guided me ever since.
- [Stewarding the Emergent](https://mythicmojo.com/stewarding-the-emergent/) - A conversation series on potential, growth, and action in these rapidly changing times We are living in a time of collective transformation, of initiation and awakening. There are many challenges as the old paradigm crumbles, alongside possibilities for a radically beautiful new world. We are being called - from within and without, as individuals and
- [Creativity Coaching](https://mythicmojo.com/creativity-coaching/) - "The creative process shrivels in the absence of continual dialogue with the soul. And creativity is what makes life worth living.” --Marion Woodman Bring your creative vision into the world. Grow your practice. Develop your skills. Deepen your understanding of your creative process -- the how and why of you the art you make. Some form
- [Psyche's Quest: explore your heroine's journey](https://mythicmojo.com/psyches-quest-heroine-women/) - This is transformation time. Time to re-weave and repair our relationships with each other and the earth. Time to create a society that operates in service to life.
- [Mentorship in the mythic dimension](https://mythicmojo.com/mentorship-in-mythic-dimension/) - There's a source deep in the core of your consciousness that's waiting for you to rediscover it. Before modern psychotherapy and life coaching there was storytelling, divination, art, dreamwork, and ritual. What I call mentorship in the mythic dimension of life. These practices awaken the imagination in concert with soul, the deep self. Our
- [Create an event with Catherine](https://mythicmojo.com/consult/create-event/) - Many of us long to hear a good story and have meaningful conversation about things that matter. Who we are, as individuals and a community. The strange twists and turns of this moment. Our philosophical questions. The mystery in life. If you are looking for a speaker with a different twist on the usual topics
- [Integration of non-ordinary experiences](https://mythicmojo.com/integration-of-non-ordinary-experiences/) - Non-ordinary experiences and altered states of consciousness can take a number of forms: vision quests, dreams, psychedelic journeys, visitations, trance states, out-of-body and near-death experiences, and more. Sometimes we invite these states and actively induce them. Sometimes they arise spontaneously. Non-ordinary experiences of all types have the potential to transform us--- if we find a
- [Exploratory conversation](https://mythicmojo.com/exploratory-conversation/) - Not sure which approach to try, or if we’re a good fit for collaboration?I believe in the power of curiosity– and what works. Book a free exploratory phone call
- [Consult](https://mythicmojo.com/consult/) - Work with the mythic dimension in your life or creative work. Not sure which approach to try, or if we're a good fit for collaboration? I've spent years exploring this territory, and have developed a number of tools and approaches. I believe in the power of curiosity-- and what works. AS OF MARCH 2026:
- [Kabir: The Time Before Death](https://mythicmojo.com/kabir-the-time-before-death/)
- [From Adversary to Ally](https://mythicmojo.com/from-adversary-to-ally/) - Sunday September 18, 2022- Wednesday November 16, 20229 weeks, facilitated online by Catherine Svehla, PhD. Details and Registration You know that voice. The one that says you're inadequate, or a phony. The one that isn't satisfied with your efforts. The one that throws shade on your ideas and dampens your enthusiasms before they even have a
- [Myth Matters Podcast](https://mythicmojo.com/myth-matters-podcast-blog/) - A thoughtful and thought-provoking exploration of the power of myth in contemporary life. Host Dr. Catherine Svehla shares her knowledge of mythology and depth psychology to find insight, inspiration, and new possibility in old stories. What do they hold for you?
- [About the Myth Matters Podcast](https://mythicmojo.com/about-myth-matters-podcast/) - About your Myth Matters host: Catherine began her professional life as a public interest advocate and environmental organizer. Frustrated and puzzled by the slow progress, she left this form of activism with a question: How can reasonable people argue over facts and obvious common sense, and disagree about what is healthy and fair? The conversation,
- [Transcript of the interview between Catherine and Rohini Walker](https://mythicmojo.com/transcript-interview-catherine-and-rohini-walker/) - Transcript of interview conducted by Rohini Walker, Cultural Engineer and organizer of the Heroine’s Journey at the Ace Hotel & Swim Club in Palm Springs, CA, December 2017. Rohini: What is the hero’s journey? Catherine: It’s a mythological pattern that Joseph Campbell discovered in his study of myths from around the world. Campbell defined
- [Contact](https://mythicmojo.com/contact/) - [recaptcha_form] Thank you for contacting Mythic Mojo. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. In the meantime, happy myth-making, and keep the mystery in your life alive.
- [Subscribe & stay in touch](https://mythicmojo.com/subscribe-stay-in-touch/) - Never miss a story! Subscribe to receive podcast announcements with links to new programs twice a month, and occasional program news from Catherine and Mythic Mojo. Like magic. Subscribe to receive email announcements * indicates required Email Address * First Name * Last Name * Email Format html text "Those who do not have power
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